One of the world's weirdest ruined & abandoned places is the Pennsylvanian town of Centralia.
Its residents were forced to leave by an underground fire that's been burning beneath the town for over 50 years.
Its residents were forced to leave by an underground fire that's been burning beneath the town for over 50 years.
Centralia was once a thriving mining town with five mines digging its rich seam of anthracite coal.
The stock market crash in 1929 closed many of these, but bootleg miners still continued to operate in some of the derelict mines.
The stock market crash in 1929 closed many of these, but bootleg miners still continued to operate in some of the derelict mines.
in 1962, an illegal garbage fire in a landfill site got out of control.
The landfill was located in the remains of an old coal mine, & the fire quickly spread into the labyrinth of tunnels beneath the town.
The landfill was located in the remains of an old coal mine, & the fire quickly spread into the labyrinth of tunnels beneath the town.
It took a long time for anyone to notice.
In 1979, a local gas-station owner used a dipstick to check the fuel level of his underground tanks.
When he withdrew it, it seemed hot. He lowered a thermometer into the tank on a string and discovered that it was 78 °C inside.
In 1979, a local gas-station owner used a dipstick to check the fuel level of his underground tanks.
When he withdrew it, it seemed hot. He lowered a thermometer into the tank on a string and discovered that it was 78 °C inside.
Things got worse. In 1981, a 12-year-old boy was almost swallowed by a 50m-deep sinkhole that suddenly opened up in his backyard.
His cousin managed up pull him out just in time, but gases emanating from the fissure were found to contain a lethal level of carbon monoxide.
His cousin managed up pull him out just in time, but gases emanating from the fissure were found to contain a lethal level of carbon monoxide.
Several attempts to excavate the fire & put it out failed.
The activity of bootleg miners had caused many of the tunnels to collapse, making access to them very difficult.
The activity of bootleg miners had caused many of the tunnels to collapse, making access to them very difficult.
In 1992, the situation in the town became so bad that it was evacuated.
1,000 people moved out, & 500 houses were demolished.
Centralia's ZIP code was discontinued by the postal service in 2002.
1,000 people moved out, & 500 houses were demolished.
Centralia's ZIP code was discontinued by the postal service in 2002.
Nature took over, & any houses left standing were soon overgrown with trees & weeds.
The ground and especially the highway is hot to the touch.
The ground and especially the highway is hot to the touch.
The Centralia fire is still burning. Scientists think it will continue to burn for another 250 years.
It has reached a depth of over 90m, and stretches across a 13km area that grows every year.
It has reached a depth of over 90m, and stretches across a 13km area that grows every year.
"This was a world where no human could live, hotter than the planet Mercury, its atmosphere as poisonous as Saturn's. At the heart of the fire, temperatures exceeded 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (540 °C). Lethal clouds of carbon monoxide… swirled through the rock chambers" - D DeKok
Apart from a tiny number of holdouts, the town is now abandoned, & smoke still pours from its fissures & sinkholes.
Its grid system & a section of highway warped & buckled by the heat is all the remains.
Its grid system & a section of highway warped & buckled by the heat is all the remains.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this, you can read more about my research here:
If you like, you can also chip me a tip here: ko-fi.com/PaulMMCooper
